The Boundaries of Family and Friendship

By Shawna D.and ElvenHope

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is Tolkien's. Admir is Shawna D.'s OC (Estel's stepsister) and Aradwyn and Rogir are ElvenHope's OCs (Legolas's brothers) also in "To Call One Brother" and "Shadows of the Past".

Note: Estel is 6, Legolas and Arwen are 8, Admir is 11, Elladan and Elrohir are 12, Rogir is 13, and Aradwyn is 15.

"It's Called a Family"

By ElvenHope

It was a beautiful day in Imaldris, the sun was shining, the birds were singing – in fact if there was a better day to be found in Middle-Earth she had yet to find it. And yet there was one thing, one little tiny thing which happened to be wrong with that beautiful day – and it was tugging at the bottom of her dress.

"Get off Estel," Admir said shaking her foot slightly in an effort to detach the oversized limpet. "Go and find Elladan and Elrohir to play with."

"But they are still asleep," the young adan whined.

"What about Arwen?" Admir asked desperately.

"She is too girly," Estel said.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Admir asked feigning anger. "I am a girl too if you have forgotten, brother dear."

"Yes but you are a nice girl," Estel said still whining.

"And now you are calling Arwen nasty?" Admir asked raising an accusing eyebrow.

"No, I am calling her boring," Estel said letting go and folding his arms defiantly. "All she ever does is pick flowers and write poetry and... do boring girl stuff."

"Hmm..." Admir looked down at the small being crossly. She had been halfway through the story of Glorfindel and the balrog, and had just gotten to the really good bit, when Estel had found her out in the gardens of Imaldris. "Well I can be boring and girly too; then will you leave me alone?"

"No," Estel said. "I will just tell Ada and he will make you play with me."

"Are you threatening me?" Admir asked smiling.

Estel grinned. "Yes."

With that Admir jumped forward and grabbed her little brother's wrists holding them up above his head and tickling him mercilessly.

"No, Admir!" The child cried screwing his eyes tight shut. "Please stop!"

"Will you leave me alone?" Admir asked.

"Yes, alright," Estel breathed and Admir let go. The child backed away a little then dove forward and grabbed his sister's book turning, and sprinted up to the house as fast as his little legs would carry him.

"Why you little..." Admir said through gritted teeth and began to follow the mischievous child.

Estel was a good runner for his size and with the added help of a surprise attack he was well ahead of his sister. Admir followed behind him cursing him under her breath using the words she had often heard her elder brothers say.

The young adan ran inside and along the corridors knocking over anyone and anything in his way, leaving Admir to apologize for the damage.

Finally he reached his brothers' room, and pushing open the door dived towards Elladan's bed hiding under the covers, and waking the sleeping elf immediately.

"Estel what are you...?" Elladan began as the child wriggled about under the covers.

"Ssh," Estel hissed. "I am hiding."

"Hiding from who...?" Elladan began, but at that moment the door to their bedroom burst open and it became obvious who the child was hiding from.

"Where is he?" Admir yelled scanning the room; then her gaze came to rest on Elladan's covers which were wriggling about a lot. She crept forwards, her natural elven grace making it impossible for the adan to hear her footsteps. Then when she was close enough she pulled off the sheets to reveal a terrified looking Estel clinging totheir brother's leg.

"What is this all about?" Elladan asked as Admir tried to pry the child off his leg.

"He has taken my book," Admir said crossly as she pulled Estel. Then she paused and with one gigantic tug pulled both Estel and Elladan off the bed and onto the floor.

"Ow," Elladan said crossly rubbing his head. "Do you mind? I was trying to sleep."

"Well I was trying to read, until someone stole my book!" Admir said crossly and finally managed to pull Estel off their brother's leg. She snatched the book off him and was about to leave when the door burst open once again, to reveal a fuming Arwen.

"What in Arda are you doing?" She asked crossly. "The whole of Imaldris – no wait – the whole of Middle Earth can hear you." She glanced over at Elrohir. "And what is he still doing asleep? Half the day has already gone."

"I wish I was still asleep," muttered Elladan looking wistfully at his bed.

"Humph," Arwen snorted as she strode over to Elrohir and nudged him slightly. "Wake up." She said in an extremely annoying sing-song voice, however, when her brother continued to sleep she tried a different approach. "Wake up!"

"Ah, he calls me lazy, but I am not the one still asleep," Elladan said arranging his sheets back on his bed.

"You would be asleep if Estel had not woken you," Admir said gesturing to the child who was still sitting on the floor.

"Wake up!" Arwen yelled at Elrohir and sighed exasperatedly, then without a second thought she grabbed the glass of water on Elrohir's bedside table and tipped it over his head.

Elrohir sat up with a start and looked around wildly.

"What in Arda was that for?" Elrohir asked crossly looking at Arwen who had a smug smile on her face.

"You would not wake up," she answered putting the glass slowly back down on the bedside table.

"You did not have to do that though!" Elrohir said crossly then shot a look at Admir, Elladan and Estel who were trying desperately not to laugh - or in Elladan's case failing miserably at keeping a straight face. "Stop laughing!"

"It was funny though," Admir managed through her fit of giggles.

"You should have seen your face," Elladan grinned.

Elrohir made an inaudible sound of fury and jumped up pulling his sisters long black hair. Arwen began to shout for help whilst the other three continued to laugh. At the same time, however, Estel crept forwards and grabbed Admir's book. As soon as she noticed she yelled at him to give it back and began to chase the young human around the room, whilst Estel screamed that Admir was going to kill him. Elladan watched the whole thing in confusion before being tripped over by Estel and landing flat on the floor.

And that was how Elrond found them.

"What in Arda are you lot doing in here?" The Lord of Imaldris bellowed when he opened the door to the room, grey eyes livid with anger.

Immediately everyone froze and Elrohir slowly let go of his sister's hair.

"Elrohir, would you like to explain?" Elrond asked crossly.

Elrohir shuffled about awkwardly for a moment then began. "I do not know really, she," he pointed an accusatory finger at Arwen, "poured my glass of water over my head so I... I... pulled her hair."

"Hm," Elrond said giving Elrohir a disdainful look and turning to Arwen. "Why did you pour the glass of water over his head?"

"Because he would not wake up Ada, and it is late already," Arwen said. "And anyway he has work to do for his tutor today."

"Oh," Elrohir said he had completely forgotten that.

"Yes. Oh," Elrond said then turned slowly to Admir and Estel who were halfway through some sort of wrestling match. "And would you like to explain what you are doing?"

"He stole my book!" Admir said quickly. "I was sitting outside minding my own business and he stole it."

"I would not have had to if you agreed to play with me," Estel said quickly.

"I do not have to play with you!" Admir fumed, she was not going to be blamed for this.

"Do to."

"Do not."

"Do to."

"Do not."

"Do to..."

"Enough," Elrond said he glanced at Elladan on the floor for a moment, but deciding that he probably didn't want to know about what had happened. He turned back to them all. "Each of you will apologize for what you have done then you will all play a game together outside, understood?"

"But Ada..." Arwen and Admir began both at the same time.

"No buts," Elrond said. "Elladan and Elrohir get changed, Admir put your book away, Arwen go and find a servant to clean up the water and then all five of you will go and play a game outside together, like a family, do you understand?"

"Yes, Ada," they all said in unison.

Fifteen minutes later Elladan was sitting with his eyes closed under an apple tree.

"Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three..."

Why did he always have to count first? That was a stupid question; it was a rule wasn't it? The eldest always counted first - and who had made up that rule? Estel of course, the one who happened to be the youngest. Soon though, Estel would catch them up and then he would pay for this.

"Twenty four, twenty five, twenty six..."

Elladan and Elrohir were both twelve, practically thirteen now in human years, followed byAdmir who was 11, and then Arwen who was eight, and finally Estel who was six.

"Twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine..."

"Thirty!" He yelled opening his eyes scanning the area. "Coming, ready or not!"

Admir ran along a path shrouded in trees then stopped. She could swear that she had heard someone – or something. She span around searching for the source of the noise, but everything was silent again save for the birds chirping in the tree tops.

She walked on slower than before and more cautiously. A twig snapped and she jumped.

"Who... who is there?" She asked shakily even though she knew it was probably just one of the twins playing a trick on her. "Elladan? Elrohir?" There was another faint sound, and she had the feeling that someone was watching her. She turned again, but the path was empty. "Estel? Arwen?"

She span back in the other direction and stopped, her eyes darting about the trees. They were so close to her; whoever they were they were so close, she could feel them.

Then suddenly hands covered her eyes and she drew in a sharp breath to terrified to scream.

"Guess who?"

Please review, we really want to know what you think!

Namarie

Shawna D and ElvenHope